This invention relates to portable carrying cases, traveling bags, or luggage, and in particular to soft-sided cases such as duffels. The invention is more particularly concerned with bags or duffel which can be internally reconfigured into main and additional compartments so that the contents can be kept separate, if desired or needed. The invention is also directed to a bag or duffel which has a main closure or flap permitting access to the central portion or main compartment of the duffel, and which has additional or auxiliary access openings that provide access to auxiliary compartments within the duffel when one or more divider panels inside the duffel are in place in the duffel.
A need has long existed for a convenient carry bag, i.e., duffel, which can be reconfigured as need be during a trip or excursion. For example, if some article of clothing becomes wet or soiled, it is often necessary to keep it apart from the dry and clean articles of clothing in the bag. Also, it may be necessary to keep purchased items separate when in the bag. At the same time, it would be to advantage to be able to access the separated articles without having to reach into the main part of the bag where the other articles are stored. There are also advantages in having the main storage compartment being as large as possible if there are no items that need to be kept separate. However, no carry bag or duffel to date has been able to fulfil these objectives.
One typical luggage case with movable partitions is described in Bomes et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,589, formed of a luggage frame, zippered soft side walls, and a removable center partition. A zipper is provided so that the partition is partially removable. Another luggage case having removable compartments for storing, e.g., soiled clothing, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,615. A soft carrying case with dividers, intended as a portable carrier for cats and/or dogs, is described in Pat. Appln. Pub. No. US 2008/0066689. These prior-proposed bags and luggage are useful in understanding the background of this invention, but do not resolve the problem of how to reconfigure a duffel or similar bag in a simple and convenient fashion during the trip or excursion.